Emma Velez

Emma Velez is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Gender and Women’s Studies at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, with affiliate appointments in Latina/Latino Studies, the Center for Latin American & Caribbean Studies, and the Unit for Criticism and Interpretative Theory. She holds a Ph.D. in Philosophy and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from Penn State, an M.A. in Philosophy from SUNY Stony Brook, and a B.A. in Philosophy and Political Science from Oklahoma City University.

Her research explores critical intersections of race, gender, and coloniality, focusing on U.S. Latina/Latinx feminisms, decolonial theory, and critical philosophy of race. She actively bridges continental philosophy with decolonial frameworks to analyze political marginalization and epistemic resistance. Her courses include Latinx Feminisms, Feminist Theories & Methods, and Gender Studies foundations.

Velez's publications consistently engage with decolonial feminist praxis, border geopolitics, and coalitional politics. Her work critically examines colonial legacies in social contracts (2024), proposes ethical frameworks for borderlands (2020), and refines dialogues between intersectionality and decolonial thought (2019).